LAFAYETTE, Ind.— Employees of Papa John's are one step closer to earning their college degrees online after a partnership between the national chain and Purdue University Global was announced on Wednesday.

Ranging from full tuition assistance to fee reductions and textbook assistance, Papa John's new program looks to allow eligible employees to expand their skill sets and prepare to advance their careers, according to a news release.

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The new tuition benefit program through Purdue Global will cover 100 percent of tuition costs of undergraduate and graduate online degree programs for Papa John’s corporate team members.

An additional education program through the alliance with Purdue Global is also available for Papa John’s 70,000 franchise team members, offering significant tuition and fee reductions for both undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as waived application fees and covering the cost of course materials, among other benefits, the release said.

Kaplan University was purchased by Purdue University to operate as a standalone institution under the governance of the Purdue University system, officially launching Purdue University Global in April 2018.

“People are our most important ingredient and we are always looking for new ways to make Papa John’s a better place to work,” Steve Ritchie, president and CEO of Papa John’s, said in a release. “We believe this is a truly unique tuition program in our industry. We’re excited to partner with such a well-respected institution to help us deliver on such a robust career growth opportunity for team members who want to pursue their goals to further their education.”

Papa John’s team members can enroll in any of Purdue Global’s online associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, including business, information technology, cybersecurity, accounting and finance.

“We’re delighted to partner with Papa John’s to bring an exceptional Purdue Global student experience to its corporate and franchise team members,” Betty Vandenbosch, chancellor of Purdue University Global, said in a release. “Our new relationship with Papa John’s is an example of how we can help organizations meet the increasing demand for educated and trained workers, while creating a personalized, high-quality education for students that fits their busy schedules.”

According to the National Center of Educational Statistics, in 2016 the median earnings of young adults with a bachelor's degree were 57 percent higher than those with a high school diploma. It also found the median earnings of young adults with a master's or higher degree were approximately 28 percent higher than those of young adults with a bachelor's degree.

Vandenbosch said in the release Purdue Global is well-positioned to help employers of all sizes create education benefit programs to accommodate employees’ busy schedules, built on real-world requirements, enabling adult students to learn at their own pace and in many cases receive college credits for previous work experience.

Contact reporter Jillian Ellison at 765-420-5228 or at jeellison@gannett.com.